Can sciatica feel like a giant cramp starting in hip down leg?

Tricky: Sciatica can cause thigh pain that goes down the back or side of your thigh/calf into your foot. Sometimes there will be mainly pain in the butt area and back of thigh but the toes may be numb or tingling also. Thigh cramps alone usually suggest activity related issue. Sciatica is going to resolve in the majority of cases over 6 weeks . Check with your doctor if you have pain lasting > 6 weeks.

Symptom Vs Cause: Sciatica is the symptom of leg pain caused by a disc herniation or narrowing where the nerve exits the spine. A disc herniation is a outpouching of the disc from its normal place into the spinal canal or on the nerve and can be a source of pain in the back or down the leg . The nerve then goes to the muscle which can then hurt, spasm or feel sore or irritated.